Chicken is grilled on backyard barbecues almost everywhere. One reason it is popular is the meat is lean, making it a healthier choice than some other barbecue items, such as beef and pork ribs. Removing the skin before grilling reduces the fat, but makes chicken prone to drying out. Cook a light marinade to soak your chicken prior to grilling to add moisture and flavor to the meat.
Step 1
Pour 1 cup sherry into large mixing bowl.
Step 2
Add 1/2 cup oil. Sesame, olive or peanut oil is a base that helps keep chicken meat moist and helps adhere the marinade to the surface of the chicken.
Step 3
Mix 2 tbsp. Dijon mustard, one clove minced garlic, one chopped onion, one bay leaf and three sprigs of chopped parsley in the bowl.
Step 4
Heat your saucepan to low heat.
Step 5
Pour the ingredients into your heated saucepan, and simmer for two minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Step 6
Cool your marinade before using.
Tips and Warnings
- Cooked marinade keeps for up to one week in an airtight container. Substitute sherry with citrus juice, vinegar or an ingredient with an acidic base. An acidic base penetrates the meat, tenderizing the surface and adding a tangy flavor. Marinades that have alcohol in them will not cook the alcohol off in grilling because most grilling caps out at 165 degrees Fahrenheit, below the boiling point and evaporation point of alcohol. When grilling, use non-alcoholic marinades if you wish, and reserve the sherry for roasting flavor accents. Marinade chicken for at least two hours in the refrigerator before grilling or roasting.
- Cook chicken until it has an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit to prevent bacterial or parasitic illnesses.
Things You'll Need
- Large mixing bowl
- 1 cup sherry
- 1/2 cup oil (sesame, peanut or olive)
- 2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 sprigs parsley, chopped
- Saucepan
- Salt
- Pepper
References
- Cooking Light: Cooking Class Marinating
- FoodNetwork.com; Chicken Marinade; Ina Garten; 2010
- "The New York Times Cook Book"; Craig Claiborne; 1990
- TheJoyKitchen.com: Marinades Add Flavor
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